While on vacation in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass on July 15, 2025, in the chapel of the law enforcement regiment of the papal city, in the context of the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the Virgo Fidelis, the “Faithful Virgin,” as patron saint of the Carabinieri.
“Mary's fidelity to God” is “a model of fidelity for every carabiniere to the homeland and the Italian people,” the Holy Father said.
The Carabinieri, established by King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia in 1814, has more than 100,000 members. They have military status and are one of Italy's main law enforcement groups.
“It was precisely from Castel Gandolfo, in 1949, that my venerable predecessor, Pope Pius XII, accepted this beautiful proposal from the General Command of the Carabinieri,” explained Leo XIV in his homily, to recognize the Virgo Fidelis as patroness.
The virtue of fidelity exemplified by Mary “expresses devotion, purity, and constancy in the commitment to the common good, which the Carabinieri protect by guaranteeing public safety and defending the rights of all, especially those in danger,” the Pope reflected.
He emphasized the power of the Carabinieri's motto, “Faithful through the centuries,” which expresses “the sense of duty and self-sacrifice of every member of the Force, even to the point of self-sacrifice.”
In the context of the Jubilee Year, Leo XIV expressed his “deep gratitude for the noble and demanding service that the Force renders to Italy and its citizens, as well as to the Holy See and the faithful who visit Rome.”
“In the face of injustices that wound the social order, do not give in to the temptation to believe that evil can triumph,” the Pope asked. “Especially in these times of war and violence, remain faithful to your oath: as servants of the state, respond to crime with the force of the law and honesty."
The example of Venerable Salvo D'Acquisto
Repeating that it is through this commitment that the Carabinieri will “always deserve the esteem of the Italian people,” Leo XIV emphasized that it is “right and necessary to remember the Carabinieri who gave their lives in the line of duty.”
He gave as an example the figure of Venerable Salvo D'Acquisto, who received a gold medal for military valor, and whose cause for beatification is underway.
This vice-brigadier was murdered by the Nazis on September 23, 1943, at the age of only 22, for trying to protect a group of civilians whom the Germans wanted to round up in retaliation for the death of two paratroopers in an explosion in the Rome area. The decree recognizing his status as venerable was authorized by Pope Francis from his hospital bed on February 25.
Pope also visits Poor Clares
After Mass, Leo XIV went to the monastery of the Poor Clares in Albano. He prayed with them in the chapel and spent some time talking with them in the chapter hall.
“It is beautiful that the Church knows your life,” because it is a precious testimony, he told them, according to Vatican News.
The next public event will take place on Sunday with Mass at the Cathedral of Albano scheduled for 9:30 a.m. The pontiff will then recite the Sunday Angelus at noon in Castel Gandolfo.
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